Heuchera plant named &#39;ifhemul&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Heuchera  plant named ‘IFHEMUL’, characterized by its compact and uniformly mounded plant habit; relatively rapid growth rate; densely foliated and bushy appearance; glossy purple-colored leaves with dark purple, almost black-colored venation; long flowering period; numerous inflorescences with sterile greyed orange-colored flowers; and good garden performance and winter hardiness.

Botanical designation: Heuchera hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘IFHEMUL’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Heuchera plant, botanically known as Heuchera hybrida, typically grown as a landscape Heuchera and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘IFHEMUL’.

The new Heuchera plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Andijk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Heuchera plants with attractive leaf and flower coloration and good garden performance.

The new Heuchera plant originated from a cross-pollination of a proprietary selection of Heuchera hybrida identified as code number 083-09-C009, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Heuchera hybrida identified as code number C024-02, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent in June, 2013. The new Heuchera plant was discovered and selected as a single plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled nursery environment in Andijk, The Netherlands in July, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Heuchera plant by in vitro meristem culture in a controlled environment in Andijk, The Netherlands since September, 2016 has shown that the unique features of this new Heuchera plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Heuchera plant has not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘IFHEMUL’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘IFHEMUL’ as a new and distinct Heuchera plant:

-   -   1. Compact and uniformly mounded plant habit.     -   2. Relatively rapid growth rate.     -   3. Densely foliated and bushy appearance.     -   4. Glossy purple-colored leaves with dark purple, almost         black-colored venation.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Numerous inflorescences with sterile greyed orange-colored         flowers.     -   7. Good garden performance and winter hardiness.

Plants of the new Heuchera differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in leaf color as plants of the new Heuchera have lighter purple-colored leaves than plants of the female parent selection. In addition, leaf venation of plants of the new Heuchera is darker in color than leaf venation of plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Heuchera differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in leaf color as plants of the new Heuchera have darker purple-colored leaves than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Heuchera can be compared to plants of Heuchera hybrida ‘TNHEUFP’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,358. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Heuchera differ primarily from plants of ‘TNHEUFP’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Heuchera are more compact than plants of         ‘TNHEUFP’.     -   2. Plants of the new Heuchera are faster-growing than plants of         ‘TNHEUFP’.     -   3. Plants of the new Heuchera flower earlier than plants of         ‘TNHEUFP’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrates the overall appearance of the new Heuchera plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Heuchera plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘IFHEMUL’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view of typical leaves of ‘IFHEMUL’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘IFHEMUL’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer with three plants in a 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Heuchera production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 25° C. and night temperatures ranged from 4° C. to 15° C. Plants were 18 weeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Heuchera hybrida ‘IFHEMUL’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Heuchera             hybrida identified as code number 083-09-C009, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Heuchera             hybrida identified as code number C024-02, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By in vitro meristem culture.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at             temperatures about 22° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 15 days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 42 days             at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 50 days             at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically light brown in             color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; basal rosette             plant habit with leaves developing from the base; densely             foliated and dense and bushy appearance; compact and             uniformly mounded plant habit; overall shape, flattened             globular with upright inflorescences held above the foliar             plane; moderately vigorous growth habit; moderate growth             rate.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 19.8             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of inflorescences.—About 71             cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 35.4 cm. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate in basal rosettes; simple.         -   Length.—About 9.1 cm.         -   Width.—About 8.7 cm.         -   Shape.—Broadly ovate to close to orbicular; palmately lobed.         -   Apex.—Obtuse with a small and short abruptly acute tip.         -   Base.—Hastate, lobes touching to slightly imbricate.         -   Margin.—About five lobes per leaf; crenate with small and             short abruptly acute tips; sinuses medium in depth and             divergent; slightly undulate.         -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Sparsely pubescent;             moderately glossy.         -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Sparsely pubescent;             slightly rugose; glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Palmate; reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to between             59A and N186D; venation, close to 203C. Developing leaves,             lower surface: Close to between N77A and N186C; venation,             close to between N79A and N186B. Fully expanded leaves,             upper surface: Close to N187B; venation, close to 203B.             Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to between N77A             and N186C; venation, close to N77A.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 13.6 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color, upper             surface: Close to 183B. Color, lower surface: Close to 177A             to 177B.         -   Stipules.—Quantity and arrangement: One at the base of each             leaf. Length: About 1.1 cm. Width: About 2.5 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate with acute apex. Color, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to N79B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single campanulate flowers             arranged on axillary compound spikes; each spike with about             175 flowers; about 2,500 flowers develop per plant during             the flowering season; flowers face outwardly to slightly             nodding.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Time of flowering.—Plants flower continuously from the late             spring into the summer in The Netherlands; plants begin             flowering about four months after planting.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Individual flowers last about a             week on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Inflorescence length.—About 33.7 cm.         -   Inflorescence width.—About 10.1 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 4 mm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 7 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Shape: Obovate. Texture and luster: Densely pubescent;             matte. Color: Close to between N186C and 200B.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five petals in a single             whorl. Length: About 2 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape:             Oblanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Narrow attenuate. Margin:             Entire. Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;             matte. Texture and luster, lower surface: Moderately             pubescent; matte. Color: When opening, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to NN155B to NN155D. Fully opened, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to NN155B to NN155D; venation, similar             to lamina color; color does not change with development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five sepals in a single             whorl; lower 60% fused. Length: About 4.5 mm. Width: About             1.5 mm. Shape: Oblong. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture             and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Texture             and luster, lower surface: Densely pubescent; matte. Color:             When opening, upper surface: Close to 150B tinged with close             to 177B. When opening, lower surface: Close to between N186C             and 200B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 150B tinged             with close to 177C. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to             146D tinged with close to 177B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 63.1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: Erect to about 40° from             vertical. Texture and luster: Densely pubescent; glossy.             Color: Close to 200A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 45° from peduncle             axis. Texture and luster: Moderately to densely pubescent;             slightly glossy. Color: Close to between N186C and 200A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: Five per             flower. Filament length: About 3 mm. Filament color: Close             to NN155D. Anther size: About 0.5 mm by 0.5 mm. Anther             shape: Deltoid. Anther color: Close to 177D. Amount of             pollen: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 168C.         -   Gynoecium.—Pistil number: Two per flower. Pistil length:             About 4 mm. Style length: About 3.75 mm. Style color: Close             to 144C. Stigma diameter: About 0.2 mm. Stigma shape:             Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to 145B. Ovary color: Close             to N144B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have             not been observed on plants of the new Heuchera. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Heuchera have     not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Heuchera plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Heuchera have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate high temperatures about     35° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 9. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Heuchera plant named ‘IFHEMUL’ as illustrated and described. 